delta3-5alpha-steroids and 3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-steroids and the preparation thereof



United States Patent Our invention relates to Soc-steroids and to a process of preparing such compounds from the corresponding 3- keto-A -steroids by a hydroboration reaction. A 502- steroids and 3a-hydroxy-5a-steroids, rings A and B having the following structural formula:

where R is a-hydroxy when a double bond is absent in the 3:4 position, and hydrogen when a double bond is present in the 3:4 position; where R is hydrogen or methyl when a side chain is absent in the 17-position and methyl when a side chain is present in the 17-position and no double bonds are present in other parts of the steroid molecule, may be prepared according to the invention.

The products of the above general formula are useful both as intermediates for the synthesis of steroid products useful in therapy (in particular A --a-steroids, from which, according to the invention, the corresponding 30;- hydroxy-Sa-steroids may be prepared) and as physiologically active substances. Some or" these products have hormonal activities asanabolics, androgenics, progestatives, corticoids, and natriuretics. Others have activity on the central nervous system, or are hypotensives or are antifungals.

The products of the invention can be prepared and administered in a wide variety of pharmaecutical units for oral and parenteral use, alone or in admixture with a solid or liquid pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle in which the compounds may be dissolved, dispersed or suspended. Solid compositions may be in the form of tablets, capsules, powders, or pills, while the liquid compositions may be in the form of solutions, emulsions, suspensions, syrups or elixirs. They may be administered topically as creams, ointments or lotions in the optional admixture With a therapeutically acceptable carrier or therapeutically active substances such as antibiotics or germicides. The products of the invention give neither toxic inanifestations nor undesirable and dangerous collateral effects.

One of the most important products of this steroid class is the androsterone, the androgenic properties of which are well known (A. Butenandt et al.: Z. Angew. Chem. 44, 1931, p. 905). The literature methods for preparing A -5lXStel'OidS from 3-keto-A -steroids such as the reduction according to Wolf-Kishner (G. Lardelli et al.: Helv. Chim. Acta 32, 1949, p. 1817) or the reduction with zinc and acetic acid (J. McKenna et al.: J. Chem. Soc. 1959, p. 2502) are both very expensive and delicate and give low yields (2040%) of final product, owing to the formation of the Sbeta-isomer and/or byproducts. The literature processes for obtaining 3ahydroxy-5a-steroids from 3-keto-A -steroids such as the treatment with non-pyroforic Raney nickel (C. Djerassi et al.: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 77, 1955, p. 4925) always result in the formation of a mixture of Sa-hydrOXy-Sasteroids and the corresponding stereosiomer in the 3-posi- 3,083,199 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 ice tion, thereby causing difiicult problems of separating such mixtures.

Our invention overcomes the above difiiculties and provides a process of preparing a A or A -19-nor- Six-steroid compound unsubstituted in the 3-position and having no double bonds in other parts of the steroid molecule wherein the corresponding 3-keto-A -steroid compound is treated in solution and under a protective atmosphere with diborane, and the reaction product is dehydrated.

Our invention includes treating the dehydrated product of the paragraph just above with diborane and subsequently with alkaline hydrogen peroxide so as to yield the corresponding 3u-hydroxy or 3u-hydroxy-19-nor-5usteroid compound.

The treatment with diborane is preferably carried out on an ethereal solution of the steroid compound. The process of the invention may be schematized as follows:

(2) dehydrating medium I A l (1) E211 q H 0 2 2 HO 1 by hydrolysis (preferably a ketalic, hemithioketalic or bismethylenedioxy group) is allowed to react with diborane preferably under nitrogen at atmospheric pressure, and at a temperature of from 0 to C., such as at room temperature, and the reaction product is treated with an organic or inorganic acidic or basic dehydrating medium, preferably in the Warm.

The resulting A -5a-steroid (II) can be isolated and purified in known manner either by crystallization or by chromatographic separation, or it can be directly transformed into the 3a-hydroxy-5aasteroid (III) by further reaction with diborane in an ether, preferably under nitrogen at atmospheric pressure, and a temperature of from 0 to 100 C., preferably at room temperature, to yield a product (III). This product may be purified according to known isolation and purification procedures. The hydroboration reaction can be carried out by bubbling gaseous diborane into a solution of the steroid, by adding a diborane solution into an organic solvent, by adding the diborane in the form of a complex or by forming a diborane complex in situ, for example, by adding lithium and aluminum hydride and boron trifluoride (Ann. Rep. Chem. Soc,-v 1959, pp. 198 et seq). Any ether such as ethyl ether or propyl ether or tetrahydrofuran or the dimethylether of diethyleneglycol and analogues thereof can be employed for either hydroboration reaction. In the step from Ito II it is preferable touse 3; diethyleneglycol dimethyl ether, which facilitates the subsequent reaction with the dehydrating medium.

Acetic anhydride, acetic acid, propionic acid, p.toluenesulphonic acid or potassium hydroxide are usually employed as dehydrating media, but acetic anhydride is pre; ferred since it has been found to give high yields. Treatment with acetic anhydride causes the hydrolysis of the ketalic or hemithioketalic or bismethylenedioxy groups and the acetylation of hydroxy groups, if. present.

Between the first transformation (1 to II reaction) and the second ([1 to III reaction) one or more reactions may be carried out such as oxidation, esterification, ketalization or hydrolysis, according to the final product sought. Thus according to the invention, androsterone may be prepared by treating androst-4-ene -3-,17-dionel7-monoethyleneketal with diborane and subsequently with acetic anhydride, then by ketalizing in the 17-position the obtained 5a-androst-3-ene-17-one, and by allowing the resulting 5ot-androst-3-ene-17-one ethyleneketal to react with diborane and subsequently with alkaline hydrogen peroxide; and 19-nor-androsterone may be prepared by treating 19-nor-androst-4-ene-17beta-ol-3-one with di-borane and subsequently with acetic anhydride, by hydrolyzing the acetyl group of the 19-nor-5a-androst- 3-ene-17beta-ol-acetate obtained, then by oxidizing the 17-hydroxy group to yield 19-nor-5ot-androst-3-ene-17- one, which is finally ketalized in the 17-position and treated with diborane and alkaline hydrogen peroxide.

According to the present invention the known compounds, 5a-cholest-3-ene (G. Lardelli et al., Helv. Chim. Acta, 1949, 32, p. 1817), 5u-cholestane-3a-ol (Ruzicka, Helv. Chim. Acta, 1934, 17, p. 1407), '5ot-androst-3-ene- 17-one J. McKenna et al., J. Chem. Soc. 1959, p. 2502), androsterone (A. Butenandt et 211., Z. Angew. Chem. 1931, 44, p. 905), 19-nor-andr-osterone (L. Englel et al., J. Biol. Chem, 1958, 231, p. 159), 5ot-pregnane-3a,17 xdiol-20-one (R. Neher et al., Helv. Chim. Acta, 1958, 41, p. 1667) and the new compounds 19-nor-5ct-and-rost- 3-ene 17beta-ol, 5a-pregn 3 7 ene 17beta-ol-20-one, 5apregn-3-ene-1lbeta,17a,21-triol-20-one, 50 pregnane-3a, llbeta, 11a, 21-tetrol 20 one, 19-nor-5u-androst-3-ene- 17beta-ol-acetate, l9-nor-5a-androst-3-ene-17-one, 19-nor- 5a-androst-3-ene-17-one ethyleneketal, Sm-pregIt-B-ene- 17 tz-ol-20-one-acetate, 5 on pregn-3-ene-17mo1-20-one-ethyleneketal, Son-pregh-B-ene-l lbeta-ol 17ot,20,20,21 bismethyleuedioxy, and their derivatives by the process of the invention, where appropriate, have been prepared.

The following examples are to illustrate but not to limit the invention.

EXAMPLE 1 5a-Cholest-3-Ene From Cholest4-Ene-3-One A solution of 1 g. of cholest-4-ene-3-one in 20 cc. of diethyleneglycol dimethylether was treated with a great excess of diborane for an hour at room temperature and then left to stand for another forty minutes. cc. of acetic anhydride were added to the solution which was then refluxed for an hour. All these operations were carried out under an atmosphere of anhydrou'swnitrogen. The reaction mixture, of dark brown color was evaporated under vacuum at 80 C., poured into water and extracted with ethyl ether. The ethereal extracts were washed with 10% sodium hydroxide and with water to neutrality and dried over sodium sulphate. Removal of the ethereal solvent yielded 1.060 g. of a brown viscous oil.v By either recrystallization from aqueous methanol minutes.

for an hour at room temperature and in an atmosphere of anhydrous nitrogen, and then left to stand'for thirty The reaction mixture was then poured into 30 cc. of 5% methanolic potassium hydroxide; when gas development had ceased 3 cc. of 33 hydrogen peroxide were added. After about half an hour, the mixture was diluted with water and the whole was extracted with ether. The ethereal extracts were washed with a solution of ferrous sulphate and with water to neutrality, dried over sodium sulphate and evaporated to dryness.

The residue (545 mg.) was partially crystalline and was further purified chromatographically on an alumina column. With a 1:1 hexane-benzene mixture it was possible to elute 405 mg. of 5acholestane-3oc-ol melting at 183184 C. which, after being twice recrystallized from dilute aqueous methanol, melts at 185186 C.; [a] '=-|23 (c.=1.06 in chloroform).

EXAMPLE 3 5 04-11 ndr0st-3-En e-1 7-One From- Andr0st-4-Ene-3 ,1 7- Di0ne-17-M0n0ethyIeneketal EXAMPLE 4 Androsterorte From 5 a-Androst-d-Ene-l 7-One- Ethylerteketal 284 mg. of 5tx-androst-3-ene-17-one-ethyleneketal. (melting at 1 15-1 16 C. [a] =-l- 13 (c.: 1.53 in chloroform). prepared by ketalizing'255 mg. of 5a-androst-3-ene.

17-one with ethylene glycol and p.toluenesulphonic acid in boiling benzene in the usual manner, dissolved in 10 ,cc. of tetrahydrofuran were treated with a great excess of diborane and then oxidized with 30 cc. of alcoholic potassium hydroxide and 3 cc. of hydrogen peroxide operating under the same conditions and in the same manner as described in Example 2 for 5a-cholest-3-ene. Thus, about 300 mg. of a colorless oil were obtained,- which was dissolved in 5 cc. of acetic acid and 5 cc. of water and heated on a water bath for an hour. Evaporation of the solvent under vacuum left a colorless non-crystalline residue weighing about 290 mg.

Recrystallization from a methylene dichlorideheptane mixture or by chromatographic separation on alumina and 7 subsequent elution with benzene and a'3: 1 benzene-etheror chromatographic, separation on alumina and successive elution with hexane, 5 u-cholest-3-ene was obtained; melt= EXAMPLE 2 5a-Cholestan-3a-Ol From 5a-Ch0lest-3-Ene mixture yielded androsterone; melting point 181-182 C.; i ln =+97 (c.=1.20 in ethanol); yield: 50%.

EXAMPLE 5 19-N0r-5m-A ndr0St-3-Ene-l 7Betd-Ol From 19-Nor: A ndr0'st-4-En e-] 7 Beta-0 Z-3-0ne 3 g. of 19-nor-androst-4-ene-17beta-ol-3-one dissolved in 50 cc. of diethyleneglycol-dimcthyl-ether were treated with'a'great excess of diborane and subsequently with 25 ccjof acetic anhydride,,operating in exactly the same conditions and following the'same procedure as described in Example 1 for cholest-4-ene-3-one.

About 3.3 g. of a crystalline dark-brown colored product were thus obtained from which by recrystallization or by chromatographic separation on alumina and subse-' quent recrystallization from dilute aqueous methanol 1.7 g. of product was obtained, which after two further recrystallizations from dilute aqueous methanol yielded 19- nor-5m-androst-3-ene-l7beta-ol-acetate; melting point 115- 116 C.; [a] =66.7 (c.=l.93 in chloroform).

By hydrolyzing the l9-nor-5a-androst-3-ene-17beta-olacetate with 5% methanolic potassium hydroxide at room temperature forl4hoursl9-nor-5a-androst-3-ene-l7beta-ol was obtained; melting point l07l08 C.; [a.] =27.2 (c. l.77 in chloroform); quantitative yield.

EXAMPLE 6 19-N0r-A ndrosrerone From 1 9-NOT-5oc-Andl'0St-3-EH6-1 7- One-Ethyleneketal The starting material, l9-nor-5a-androst-3ene-l7-one ethyleneketal, was prepared .by oxidation of 19-nor-5uandrost-3-ene-l7beta-ol with chromic acid in pyridine at room temperature in the known manner to l9-nor-5aandrost-3-ene-l7-one; melting point l2ll22 C.;

(c.=l.92 in chloroform), which in turn was ketalized with ethylene glycol and p.toluenesulphonic acid in boiling benzene by the technique of Example 4 to l9-nor-5aandrost-3-ene-l7-one-ethyleneketal.

443 mg. of the crude starting material was dissolved in 15 cc. of tetrahydrofuran and treated for an hour at room temperature and in the atmosphere of anhydrous nitrogen with excess of diborane and then left to stand for thirty minutes. The reaction mixture was then slowly poured into 30 cc. of 5% methanolic potassium hydroxide and when gas development ceased, 3 cc. of 33% hydrogen peroxide were added. After about half an hour, the mixture was diluted with water and the whole was extracted with ethyl ether. The ethereal extracts were washed with a solution of ferrous sulphate and then with water to neutrality. They were dried over sodium sulphate and evaporated to dryness.

The residue was dissolved in 5 cc. of acetic acid and in 5 cc. of water, and heated for an hour at 30 C. 420 mg. of l9-nor-androsterone (melting point 158l59 C.) were obtained after the elimination of the solvent under vacuum. The product recrystallized from heptane melts at 162- 163 C.; [a] =+l05 (c.=1.2 in chloroform).

EXAMPLE 7 5 a-Pregn-3-Ene-1 7a0l-20-0ne From Pregn-4-Ene-1 7a- Ol-3,20-Di ne-ZOMnoethyleneketal Pregn 4 ene-17a-ol-3,20-dione-20-monoethyleneketal (prepared as described in the U.S. Patent No. 2,648,662) in solution in ethyleneglycol dimethylether was treated with diborane and then with acetic anhydride in exactly the same conditions and by the same process as described in Example 1 for the cholest-4-ene-3-one. It was transformed into a-pregn-3-ene-l7a. ol 20-one 17 acetate (melting point l82l84 C.; [Ct] =|-90, c.=l.2 in chloroform; yield 70%) which by hydrolysis in known manner with alkali gave 5a-pregn-3-ene-l7a-ol-20-one.

EXAMPLE 8 5 a-Pregnane-S 0A,] 7u-Diol-20-One From 5 u-Pregn-3-Ene- 1 7a-0l-20-0ne-Ethyleneketal 5a pregn-3-ene-l7u-ol-20-one-ethyleneketal (prepared by ketalization of Sa-pregn-S-ene-l7a-ol-20-one with ethylene glycol and p.toluenesulphonic acid in boiling benzene in the known manner) was reacted with diborane and then with alcoholic potassium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide under the same conditions and following the same procedure as described in Example 2 for Set-cholest- 3-ene, and was transformed into 5u-pregnane-3a,l7a-diol- 2(l-one.

5 EXAMPLE 9 5 u-Pregn-3-Ene-1 1 Beta,] 7 0;,21 -Triol-20-One From Pregn- 4 Ene-l IBeta-Ol-I 7ot-20,20,21-BiSmethylenedioxy-3One Pregn 4 ene-llbeta-ol,17a-20,20,2l-bismethylenedioxy-3-one (prepared as described in U.S. Patents No.. 2,888,456 and No. 2,888, 457) was treated with diborane and then with acetic anhydride as described in Example 1 for cholest-4-ene-3-one. By the hydrolysis and saponification of the resulting product 5a.-pregn-3-e-ne-llbeta,l7a- 21-triol-20-one was obtained.

EXAMPLE 1O Sa-Pregnane-SuJ1Beta,17a,21-Tetr0l-20-One From 5a- Pregn-3-Ene-1 1 -Beta-0l-1 7a,20,20,21 -Bismethylenedioxy 5o-pregn 3 ene llbeta ol l7a,20,20,2l-bismethylenedioxy (prepared in known manner from 5a-pregn-3- ene-1lbeta,l7ut,2l-triol-20-one) was reacted with diborane and then with alcoholic potassium hydroxide 'and hydro gen peroxide under the same conditions, and by the same procedures as described in Example 2 for 5a-cholest-3- ene and hydrolysis in known manner was transformed into 5 u-pregnane-3u, 1 lbeta, 17a,2 1-tetrol-20-one.

We claim:

1. A process for preparing Set-steroids, the A and B rings of said Set-steroids having the formula:

wherein R is a a-hydroxy when a double bond is absent v in the 3:4-position and hydrogen when a double bond is present in the 3:41position; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and methyl when a side chain is absent from the l7-position and R is methyl when a side chain is present in the l7-position, and double bonds are absent from other parts of the steroid molecule, which comprises treating a 3keto-A -steroid free of other double bonds in the rest of the molecule and free of other unprotected ketone groups, in etheral solution and under a protective atmosphere with diboran-e and dehydrating the reaction product.

2. A process for preparing a compound selected from the group consisting of A and A -l9-nor-5u-steroids un substituted in the 3-position and lacking double bonds in other parts of the steroid molecule, which comprises treating a 3-keto-A -st-eroid free of other double bonds in the rest of the molecule and free of other unprotected ketone groups, in etheral solution and under a protective atmosphere with diborane and dehydrating the reaction product.

3. A process for preparing a compound selected from the group consisting of 3a-hydroxyand 3oc-l1YdI0XY-19- nor-5a-steroids unsubstituted in the 3-position and lacking double bonds in other parts of the steroid molecule, which comprises treating a 3-keto-A -steroid free of other double bonds in the rest of the molecule and free of other unprotected ketone groups, in etheral solution and under a protective atmosphere with diborane, dehydrating the reaction product, and treating the resulting A -5a-steroid in ethanol solution and under a protective atmosphere with diborane and subsequently with alkaline hydrogen peroxide.

4. A process for preparing a compound selected from the group consisting of 3a-hydroxyand 3a-hydroxy-l9- IIOY-Sa-SifilOidS unsubstituted in the 3-position and lacking double bonds in other parts of the steroid molecule, which comprises treating a 3-keto-A -steroid free of other double bonds in the rest of the molecule and free of other unprotected ketone groups, in diethyleneglycol dimethyl other solution under a protective with di-borane, dehydrating with acetic anhydride, and treating the resulting A Sa-steroid in diethyleneglycol dimethyl ether solution sesame 7' 8 under a protective atmosphere with diborane followed by 5ot-pregn-3-ene-17a-olr20-one. alkaline hydrogen peroxide. 7 5u pregn-3-ene-l7a-ol-20-one acetate.

5. A process for preparing a compound selected from 5c-pregn-3ene-17 x-o1-20-one-ethyleneketal. the group consisting of 3a-hydroxyand 3a-hydroxy-l9- 5tx-pregn-3-ene-1l beta,17a,21-triol-20-one. nor-Su-steroids unsubstituted in the 3-position and free of 5 10. 5oz pregn-3-ene-11beta-ol-l7u,20,20,2l-bisrnethyldouble bonds in other parts of the molecule, which comenedioxy.

prises treating a compound selected from the group con- 11. 5e pregnane-3a,l1beta-17a,2l-tetrol-ZO-one. sisting of the corresponding A and A -19-nor-5a-steroids in diethyleneglycol dimethyl ether solution under a pro- References Cited in the file of this Pawnt tective atmosphere with diborane followed by alkaline 10 M K et 1 L Ch m. Soc. 1959, pages 2502-2509. hydrogen peroxide. 

1. A PROCESS FOR PREPARING 5A-STEROIDS, THE A AND B RINGS OF SAID 5A-STERIODS HAVING THE FORMULA: 